How to Practice Law From Tahiti ... or Other Remote Locations

Whether starting a new practice or transitioning an existing one, customers will expect your availability and responsiveness to be equal to that of a conventional practice, so working remotely will not mean that you can work any less diligently. And the research you use will have to be top rate, so customers will forget that you may be speaking to them from halfway around the world.

Business model followed

A business model followed by many remote attorneys is to charge customers reduced rates that reflect the lower establishment and overhead costs of their practices.

A feature of my business model is collaborating with several U.S. based law firms that not only refer work to me however also use me as a contractor, either for specific customers or on a per-project basis. These firms are happy to pay me my reduced hourly rate and keep the mark-up they charge to their customers.

As with any new business, legal and tax considerations will be a major factor in structuring the form in which you practice. If you will be operating remotely from abroad, at that time you first should seek advice from competent tax and accounting advisors previously deciding how to structure and conduct your practice. Particularly if you will be based overseas, it is essential that you engage consultants fully knowledgeable as to your potential tax exposure both by the U.S. and the foreign jurisdiction from which you will be operating.

Keep in mind that there are certain jurisdictions that present various obstacles for remote practitioners. New Jersey, to illustrate, requires that attorneys who practice New Jersey law maintain a "bona fide" office and have an operating and attorney trust and business account in that state. The requirement for "bona fide" office prohibits time-sharing arrangements by appointment and requires that the office be a place where customers are met, files are kept, mail is received and the attorney is present.

But be careful if you're going to use Facebook and similar social networking sites that are not necessarily geared to professionals in order to promote your practice. Certain profile details or comments can reflect poorly on you as a professional, so think twice about what you post.

Remote practice evidently relies heavily on research

A remote practice evidently relies heavily on research, nevertheless you hardly need to be a tech whiz in order to select and utilize the right package for your practice. The learning curve is less steep than most people think, and the research much less intimidating. And the good news is that all of the basic needs of a remote practice can be gladly obtained at very reasonable rates.

Since the efficient use of the right kinds of research is a remote practitioner's most critical resource, previously selecting your tools of the trade you should consult with innovation/security experts about how best to address your needs, including issues like data storage and retention. At a minimum, ensure that your security protocols are not any less stringent that those of conventional firms of your size and caliber.

How to structure my practice

Prior to deciding how to structure my practice, I consulted with two legal innovation/security firms in New York about various issues regarding running a remote practice. One of my biggest concerns was how client communications and deal documents should be transferred and stored, and consulting these experts proved very helpful.

Perhaps the most important piece of research for a remote practice is reliable access to quality phone service. A remotely run practice will only work if it is run as a seamless operation, and since a significant proportion of your communications will occur by phone this means that you need to sound to your customers as if you're then door, irrespective of where you are physically located.

You must spend time investigating phone solutions and testing various different types of systems and vendors earlier deciding which service to use. If things don't work as anticipated, you should not hesitate to switch companies in other words than endure less than ideal service. But, to avoid getting stuck, make sure previously you decide on a phone number in other words portable to another vendor in case things don't work out. The research of most industry leading systems has improved markedly over the past few years, and a standard VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) system works very so then for me.

Whether you have your own server or not, it is inevitable that you will encounter system and other software problems at some time. Since a remote practice is so reliant on research, it is critical that you have a reliable tech support expert with whom you can consult when things go wrong.

If you are in an isolated area at that time getting tech support will be more of a challenge. But, there are several services that enable support to be provided by a technician servicing your computer remotely to fix even major problems, including those that require the downloading of new applications or other software. Clearly, the ability to utilize such a service assumes that your computer will be accessible via a broadband connection.

Collaborating with colleagues remotely will undoubtedly feel different, however it can on the whole be done effectively. It may take a bit longer to get a response, yet overall I have found former and current colleagues to be very responsive and accommodating.

The key to running a successful remote practice

This is the key to running a successful remote practice: Your business model must present enough of an upside to customers so that when they weigh the total package of the services you offer against the lack of consistent face time, the upside will prevail. And once customers are used to you, the issue of face time will be less important. That said, it is clearly important to periodically meet with customers, although it may surprise you to learn that I have been able to whittle in-person meetings down to only once a year.

Launching and maintaining a successful remote practice is increasingly becoming a viable option for attorneys seeking to practice in a more flexible and rewarding manner. Research continues to advance and provide better and more cost effective options for remote practitioners, and customers are becoming more and more comfortable with the idea of using legal services handled remotely.